ACT (test)

ACT (test). The ACT is a standardized test used primarily for undergraduate admissions in the United States. Developed by the nonprofit organization of the same name, it serves as an alternative to the SAT and is accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. The exam assesses academic readiness in core subject areas and includes an optional writing section.

Overview

The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement test designed to measure the skills typically taught in high school and deemed essential for success in first-year college coursework. It is administered multiple times per year at testing centers located in all fifty states and numerous countries internationally. Major institutions like the University of California system and Harvard University historically considered scores from this exam as part of a holistic admissions review. The test's primary competitor is the SAT, which is administered by the College Board.

Structure and scoring

The exam consists of four mandatory multiple-choice sections: English, mathematics, reading, and science, with an optional writing essay. The English section focuses on grammar, punctuation, and rhetoric, while the mathematics section covers topics from pre-algebra to trigonometry. The reading and science sections are designed to test comprehension and reasoning skills. Each of the four main sections is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, and these scores are averaged to create a composite score, also from 1 to 36. The optional writing test is scored separately on a scale of 2 to 12 and does not affect the composite score. The scoring scale was established by the original test creators, including Everett Franklin Lindquist.

Preparation and administration

Preparation for the exam is a significant industry, with companies like The Princeton Review and Kaplan, Inc. offering courses, and many high schools providing preparatory classes. The test is administered on specified national test dates at designated centers, often within local high school buildings. Students register through the ACT, Inc. website, and accommodations are available for students with documented disabilities under guidelines aligned with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Testing security protocols are stringent to prevent incidents like the 2011 SAT cheating scandal.

Use in college admissions

For decades, scores from this exam have been a standard component of college admissions in the United States. Admissions offices at institutions ranging from large public systems like the University of Michigan to private liberal arts colleges like Amherst College use the scores to compare applicants from diverse educational backgrounds. In recent years, the rise of test-optional admissions policies, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led many schools, including Ivy League members, to de-emphasize or eliminate the requirement. Nevertheless, high scores remain a factor for merit-based scholarships at many universities and within programs like the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

History and development

The test was first administered in 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist, a professor at the University of Iowa, as a competitor to the SAT. It was created in response to concerns that the SAT did not adequately reflect high school curriculum. Originally an acronym for "American College Testing," the exam was developed by the organization now known as ACT, Inc.. A major revision in 1989 added the science reasoning section. In 2005, an optional writing test was introduced, mirroring changes to the SAT. Over time, the exam has undergone periodic adjustments to its format and content, and its name was officially shortened to simply "ACT" in 1996.

Category:Standardized tests in the United States Category:University and college admission tests